Accounts Payable

The Accounts Payable Department is one phase of Six Stages of the Procurement Process.

INFORMATION FOR DEPARTMENTS

• The fiscal year begins July 1, and ends June 30th
• Department heads should know their budget. How much funds do you have available?
• What types of funds does the department have – Tax Levy, Non-Tax Levy, RF?
• What goods or services do you need for the month, semester, or year?
• Department must have a requester, the employee who enters a requisition in CUNYFirst.
• The requester must report to the department head in CUNYFirst.
• To purchase goods or services for the department, the requester enters a requisition in CUNYFirst.
• The requisition will encumber funds from the department’s budget, and reduce the available balance.
• The department must monitor the requisition to ensure it is fully approved and passes the budget check.
  • After the vendor delivers the goods or the service is completed – the department must enter a receipt in CUNYFirst for Accounts Payable to pay the vendor.
• March 31st is the final deadline to enter a requisition to purchase goods or services in the fiscal year.
• June 30th is the last day to receive goods or services from a vendor for the fiscal year. Deliveries after June 30th will be charged to the next fiscal year’s budget.
  • When goods are received or services completed, the department requester must complete the procurement process by creating a receipt:
    • Verify that all goods have been received or services rendered
    • Inform the Purchasing Department if there are any damaged, defective, or missing goods
    • Scan the packing slip from the delivery or service documents. Save the file on your computer
    • Find your purchase order number
    • Log on to CUNYFirst to create the receipt:
    • Create the receipt, upload the scanned file (packing slip), and SAVE

INFORMATION FOR VENDORS

• Vendors should deliver goods or services after obtaining a Purchase Order number.
• PO number should appear on the invoice.
• Vendor name on the PO must be the same as on the invoice.
• Vendor should verify that their remit to address is updated in the NYS Vendor Management Unit.
• The VMU website is: https://www.osc.state.ny.us/vendor_management/forms.htm
• Invoices should be sent to the Accounts Payable Department, not the requesting department
• Invoices can be emailed to: invoices@mec.cuny.edu

Additional Resources:

TRAVEL STATUS – To be on college business assignment at a location 35 miles from employee home address AND college work station. You are then eligible for expense reimbursements, such as, lodging, transportation, and meals.

Faculty and staff who travel on behalf of the college must abide by New York State and CUNY policies and procedures. Please read the Office of the State Comptroller Travel Manual and the Travel Guidelines for MEC Employees.

The CUNYFirst Travel and Expense Module is a self-service system where employees create their own travel authorization and expense reports (with managerial approval), provided that the department has available funds.

Faculty and staff must consult their department head and obtain approval prior to all travel. Department head must insure that there are adequate funds available for reimbursement.

A Travel Authorization (TA) MUST be created in CUNYFirst, and approved, PRIOR to all travel. This is a mandatory New York State and CUNY policy.

Creating a Travel Authorization will set aside funds to reimburse the traveler upon his/her return. TA should include:

• Estimates of all necessary and reasonable expenses to be incurred
• An attachment of the event’s official notice, program, agenda, etc.
• Must be approved by all managers prior to travel date. TA cannot be back-dated

Note 1: If the Approve icon is gray, the TA is in budget error. The department head should contact the Budget Office to transfer funds to the travel account.

Faculty and staff will pay for all of their travel expenses and are be reimbursed upon their return. Employees should be mindful to stay within the estimates approved in the Travel Authorization.

When an employee returns from a trip, the travel reimbursement procedure is as follows:

1.  Gather all receipts. Scan and save them on your computer
2.  Log on to CUNYFirst to create an Expense Report
3.  Ask department head to approve Expense Report
4.  If the Approve icon is gray, department head should contact the Budget Office to transfer funds to the travel account

Note: There will be no reimbursement without a receipt.

Guidelines

NYS Comptroller Travel Manual

Travel Reimbursement Checklist

MEC Travel Authorization Form (manual)

Amtrak – NYS Travel Guidelines

CUNYFirst Job Aids

Additional Resources

To obtain meal per diem rates, visit: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates

To obtain mileage rates (for business use of privately owned vehicle), visit:

https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates

Faculty and staff may be reimbursed for valid expenses incurred while performing college business. Employee must obtain approval from the department manager before the purchase. The department head must insure there are sufficient funds in the budget to process the reimbursement. The college does not reimburse any taxes paid on purchases in New York State.

To receive an expense reimbursement:

1. Fill out a Personal Expense Form, signed by the unit head
2. Write a brief justification stating the reason for the purchase
3. Scan the form, justification, and all receipts for uploading in CUNYFirst
4. Log on to CUNYFirst to create an Expense Report
5. Ask department head to approve Expense Report

Note 1: If the Approve icon is gray, the requisition is in budget error. The department head should contact the Budget Office.

Additional Resources:

Create an Expense Report

View an Expense Report

Modify an Expense Report

Delete an Expense Report

Approve Expense Report – For Supervisors

How to reconcile P-Cards and T-Card transactions by cardholders

CUNYFirst Category Codes List

View Expenses in My Wallet